ISLAM IS BASED ON RIGHTEOUSNESS, JUSTICE, CHARITY & MERCY.

Islam Is Based On

Righteousness, Justice,

Charity and Mercy

If you are not God-conscious and

don’t treat people with mercy, you will

not be treated with mercy either!

Uphold justice even if it goes against

You or your family! That’s Islam!

(M. Javed Naseem)

 

Those people are blessed who get righteous leaders and rulers. Such rulers existed in every era. In the early age of Islam, the rulers were exemplary. They were the best role-models for anybody who wanted to serve his people and establish the rule of law.

The Western world considers the famous Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi, as the most influential personality of the twentieth century. In some quarters he is treated like a saint. Indians, in general, and Hindus in particular, claim Gandhi as the greatest ‘son of India’. He always preached righteousness through modesty and non-violence. In 1937, while addressing the Indian Congress government’s cabinet of ministers, Gandhi advised all cabinet members to lead simple life. He said:

“I cannot give you the examples of Ram Chandra and Krishna, because they were not the historical personalities. I have no other choice to give you the examples of Abu Bakr and Umar (bin al-Khattab) – the first two Caliphs of Islam – as symbols of modesty and simple life. They were the rulers of a great empire but all their lives they lived like beggars.” (Quote from ‘Hareejan’, dated 27th July, 1937).

Amazing, isn’t it? The funny thing is that non-Muslims appreciate the teachings of Islam, whereas we Muslims don’t even care about it. As Muslims, we are terrible role models for others. It is time to get up and play the role we are supposed to play for the sake of our future generations. We should act with care and responsibility.

Now, the question is: Why would Gandhi refer to the Caliphs of Islam (Abu Bakr and Umar)? What did he see in their characters that convinced him that they were the best role-models as rulers and governors? It was their righteousness and modest living; their fear of God and their sense of responsibility in promoting justice; their obligations towards community to guarantee the rights of the poor.

Let’s see how Abu Bakr fared in his life and during his short tenure as the 1^st Caliph of Islam. He was the first free and independent (not a slave) mature man who accepted Islam the very moment Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.) invited him to the Truth. (But he was not the first PERSON who accepted Islam, the first person being Khadija, Prophet’s wife).

He was given the title “Siddique” by the Prophet (s.a.w.) himself. Siddique means ‘the true friend’, the one who ‘embraces the Truth’. His obedience to Allah and loyalty to the Prophet (s.a.w.) were exemplary. The stories of his righteousness and piety are numerous. According to a narration, the Prophet (s.a.w.) said about Abu Bakr:

"If the Iman (faith) of Abu Bakr was put

on one side of the scale and the faith of the

entire nation of Muslims on the other, the faith

of Abu Bakr would outweigh the others."

Abu Bakr was a businessman, one of the richest in Makkah. But after accepting Islam, he devoted all his money, efforts, labor and resources to the service of mankind just to please Allah. He used to buy slaves from the pagans and set them free. He would help the needy, the widows, the poor and the victims of injustice. He would sacrifice all his wealth for the cause of Allah.

Once, people of the area suffered from drought and then famine struck. People started suffering, so they came to Abu Bakr, who was the Caliph of the Muslims at that time. They said: O’ Caliph of the Messenger of Allah, the sky no longer brings down rain and the land no longer brings up crops or plants, and people fear a disaster. What are you going to do?

Abu Bakr replied, “Go now and be patient. I hope that Allah will bring His subsistence by the evening.”

When they went down the road, they saw one thousand camels laden with corn, oil and flour, standing near the house of Othman (r.a.a.), who was taking care of the supplies. When the merchants of the area heard of the food convoy, they came to see Othman (r.a.a.) for buying goods.

“What are you looking for?” He asked them.

“You know what we want,” they answered.

Othman (r.a.a.) asked them: ‘How much profit will you give me?’

“Two Dirham of profit.”

“I was offered more than that”, said Othman (r.a.a.).

“Well, four Dirham.”

“I was offered more.”

“Then five Dirham.”

“I was offered more than that”, declared Othman (r.a.a.).

“We are the only merchants in town, so who offered you more than we did?”

Othman (r.a.a.) replied, “Allah offered me ten Dirham for every single Dirham; do you offer more

than that?”

“No”, the merchants answered.

“Then you bear witness that I give away all these camels along with the goods in charity in the cause of Allah for the sake of the poor and the needy.”

Now, that’s righteousness and piety! That’s charity; and that’s caring and sharing. In fact, that’s Islam.

In 630 AD, Prophet Muhammad (s..a.w.), decided to lead an expedition to Tabuk on the Syrian border. In order to finance the expedition Muhammad (s.a.w.) invited contributions and donations from his followers. Othman (r.a.a.) provided ten thousand camels. Umar (r.a.a.) made a liberal contribution. When Muhammad (s.a.w.) asked him how much he had left for himself and his family, he said that he had given one half of his wealth for the cause of Allah and had left one half for himself and his dependents. Then came Abu Bakr (r.a.a.) loaded with his contribution and Muhammad (s.a.w.) asked him the same question as to how much he had left for himself and his family. Abu Bakr (r.a.a.) said, "I have brought all that I had. I have left Allah and His Prophet for myself and my family".

This episode has formed the theme of one of the poems of the poet philosopher of the East, Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (a.k.a. Allama Iqbal). The last verse of this poem reads:

“For the moth the lamp, and

for the nightingale the flower;

For Siddique, Allah, and

His Prophet suffice.”

After the death of the Prophet (s.a.w.), when Abu Bakr was elected as Caliph of the Muslims, he addressed the community and said:

“O People! I have been chosen by you as your leader, although I am no better than any of you. If I do any wrong, set me right. Listen! Truth is honesty and untruth is dishonesty. The weak among you are the powerful in my eyes, as long as I do not give them their dues. The powerful among you are weak in my eyes, as long as I do not take away from them what is due to others".

“Listen carefully! If people give up striving for the cause of Almighty Allah, He will send down disgrace upon them. If people become evil-doers, Almighty Allah will send down calamities upon them."

“Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger (Muhammad, s.a.w.). If I disobey Allah and His Messenger, you are free to disobey me.”

After Abu Bakr (r.a.a.) had assumed the Caliphate, he distributed all that was in the ‘House of Charity’ (‘Bait-al-Maal’ – the funds in the State account reserved for the poor) among the needy and the poor. He had a House of Charity at al Saneh area with no guards to watch over. One day someone asked him, ‘O Caliph of the Messenger! Would you appoint someone at the House of Charity as guard?”

Abu Bakr answered, “There’s nothing to worry about. We have given away everything that was in it. There’s nothing left.”

When Abu Bakr died, he had no valuable possessions. He had no Dirham or Dinar at home. Everything that was beyond his daily needs, he would donate it in charity.

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